Molding-machine.



570,822,015. PATENTED MAY 29, 1906. L. M. PRATT. MOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 00114, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

QM I /M A J 4 w m wmw R wi/tmooeo LEWIS M. PRATT, OF BELLEVlLLE, KANSAS.

MOLDING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 29, 1906.

Application filed October 14, 1905. Serial No. 282,812.

.To it whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Lnwrs M. PRATT, a oitizen of the United States, residing at Belleville, in the county of Republic and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Molding-Machine, of which the following is a specification.

The .present invention relates more particularly to means for molding concrete articles, such as bricks and the like, but is not necessarily limited to this use.

One of the principal objects is to provide in a machine of the above character having a movable filling and delivery carriage simple means for operating the carriage and also an agitator for the material, together with novel and ellicient means for effecting the movement of such agitator upon the movement of the carriage.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved machine. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view, and Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view.

Similar reference-numerals designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawm s.

in the particular embodiment disclosed a table is employed comprising legs 5 and a top 6. One or more molds 7, formed in the top, open through the upper face thereof, and operating in said molds is a combined pressing and ejecting plunger 8, that has a vertical reciprocatory movement. The pressing movement of the plunger 8 is accomplished by means of a handle-lever 9, fulcrumed, as shown at 10, between a pair of standards 11, located beneath'the top, one of the arms of said lever comprising offset ears 12, having a link connection 13 with a follower 14, arranged to bear against the plunger 8, said plunger being detachable therefrom. The ejecting means for the plunger comprises a pin 15, having avertical reciprocatory movement in one of the standards 11 and interposed between the follower 14 and plunger 8. This pin is carried by the upper end of a link 16, pivoted at its lower end to one arm of an actuating-lever 17.

The molds 7 are preferably located contiguous to one end of the table-top 6, which end is provided with suitable outstanding pins 18, constituting supports for removable pallets, one of which is shown at 19. A carriage 20 has a reciprocatory movement over the table-top and includes a hopper 21, the lower end of which is movable into and out of alinement with the molds 7 upon the movement of the carriage. Said carriage also constitutes means for moving the articles ejected from the molds onto the pallet, as hereinafter described. For the purpose of reciprocating the carriage a substantially horizontal handle-lever 22 is fulcrumed between its ends upon the table-top contiguous to the end thereof that is opposite to the one provided with the pallet-supports. One end of the le ver has a pivotal link connection. 23 with the carriage, the other end of said lever projecting beyond the side of the table and being formed into a handle-grip 24.

Operating in the hopper is a rotary agitator, which is thus movable with the carriage and with respect thereto. Said agitator con sists of a shaft 25, journaled in the ends of the hopper and having fingers 26, that operate in said hopper. One end of the shaft is provided with a pinion 27, and this pinion is in mesh with the teeth of a stationary rack 28, said rack being stationary with the table and being carried by a standard 29, secured to the table-top and to one end of the rack.

The preferred manner of slidably mounting the carriage on the table-top will be clear by reference to Figs. 1 and 4. It will be observed that the said top is provided in its opposite longitudinal edges with longitudinal grooves 30, and in these grooves, which constitute guideways, are slidably mounted inwardly-extending tongues 31, carried by the lower end portions-of the carriage. The carriage is thus freely movable along the tabletop, and it is prevented from moving over a pallet supported on the pins 18 by means of a stop lug or pin 32, projecting above the table-top and disposed in the path of movement of a portion of the lever. This pin is so located that when the lever is swung in one direction it will strike the pin just as the side face of the carriage reaches the end of the table-top carrying the pallet. This, it is believed, will be clear by reference to Fig. 3. In operating the device the plunger 8 is allowed to drop by raising the levers 9 and 17. The lever 22 is then swung to move the carriage into alinement with the molds, the material having first been placed in the hoper. During this movement the said material will be agitated by the fingers 26 of the shaft 25, which shaft will be revolved because of the engagement of the pinion 27 with the rack 28. Therefore when the hop per reaches a position over the mold the material will be in a loosened condition and can freely fill said'mold. The said carriage is then moved rearwardly until a portion of its bottom is located over the molds, after which the lever 9 is forced downwardly. This will effect a partial elevation of the plunger 8 and press the material in the molds. A further movement is then given to the lever 22, so as to withdraw the carriage from its position over the molds, after which the lever 17 is depressed, thereby elevating the plunger 8 and forcing the completed articles from the molds. A return movement is thereupon given to the carriage, which will push the articles over the table-top and upon the pallet, and this movement can return the hopper to a position that permits the filling of the molds upon the lowering of the plunger. By means of this simple machine, therefore, it will be apparent that articles of various characters can be rapidly and effect ively molded. The various elements are simple, so that the machine can be cheaply manufactured and, furthermore, are of such a nature that they are not liable to become deranged.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, and many advantages of the herein-described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is

1. In a machine of the character described,

the combination with a mold, of feeding means movable with the mold, an agitator movable with and with respect to the feeding means, a pinion movable with the feeding means and connected to the agitator to move the same with respect to the feeding means, and a rack with which the pinion movably engages upon the movement of the feeding means.

2. In a machine of the character described,

the combination with a support having a mold, of feeding means movable on the su port and over the mold, an agitator movabl y mounted on the feeding means, a pinion connected to the agitator, and a rack secured to the support, said rack being movably engaged by and rotating the pinion upon the movement of the feeding means.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a mold, of feeding means including a hopper movable from and to a position over the mold, an agitator rotatably mounted in the hopper, a pinion connected to the agitator and movable with the hopper, and a stationary rack engaging the p1n1on.

4. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a table, of a mold located in the table, a carriage movable over the table and having a hopper that is movable into and out of alinement with the mold, a rotary agitator journaled in the hopper and having a pinion, a rack carried by the table, said pinion meshing with the rack, and means for operating the carriage.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

LEWIS M. PRATT.

Witnesses:

HUGH ALEXANDER, W, T. PERRY. 

